Click the image above to see a screener of beaver stock video footage. Clips can be viewed in their entirety and purchased at HDNatureFootage.net or viewed here in Quicktime format.

Filming Beaver Stock Video Footage

Filming beaver is surprisingly hard, in large part because they are mostly nocturnal. This is especially true in areas where they are persecuted by hunters and trappers. Even when they do come out in daylight, it is usually in the dim light of dusk and dawn. And then you mostly only see the head sticking out of the water. But keep the camera rolling as an alarmed beaver will suddenly slap its tail on the water making a large splash that warns other beaver that danger is nearby.

Filming beaver in the process of gnawing down a tree is much more difficult. Infrared equipment at night can greatly increase your chances of catching such behavior.

The story of the North American beaver is well known. As much as any animal its the beaver that helped bring European settlement to much of western North America. The beaver was the currency of the 18th and 19th centuries. Unfortunately, that currency almost completely dried up as beaver were overtrapped and extirpated from much of their range. Fortunately, they have made a remarkable comeback and are now fullfilling their natural role in ecosystems.

The beaver is one of only a few species and can truly be called a keystone species. Their dams impound streams, creating ponds where there was once flowing water. This benefits many species.